History Bits...

This week we visited

The Middle Kingdom of Egypt

with Story of the World Volume 1
Chapter 12

We read from our Story of the World Living History Book and discovered how Egypt invaded Nubia.

For craft my boys made Nubian Sock Monkeys

Egyptian Jewelery - Golden Arm Bands

In accordance with both Charlotte Mason and Classical style learning, Kookaburra narrates his passages and I jot them down for him. When he's older, about ten Kookaburra will begin to copy work them. We encourage Kangaroo to participate and often he'll fill in little gaps in Kookaburra's narration.


For the second part of the Chapter, my Boys listened wide eyed as the Egyptian Kingdom became weak and in turn, were invaded by the Hykos.


The SOTW Activity Book had a Hyksos Jewelry page to colour in. They coloured, cut and then pasted these onto cardboard, turning the picture into something playable and wearable.




Much to the pleasure of Kangaroo who proudly wore them into town and just beamed at all and sundry till they noticed and inquired about his adornments. He was in his element :D

For our extra reading we read Temple Cat by Andrew Clements, this choice is for Kangaroo and for Kookaburra we'll be reading Pharaoh: The Boy who Conquered the Nile By Jackie French. I absolutely recommend Jackie French's history books. Interesting for both myself and the boys and mostly historically accurate.

There is one more activity we didn't have time to make but the end product looks great fun to play with so hopefully we'll get to it next week.

Till then Happy Time Trekking!

So in Love with....

Charlotte Bronte's

'Jane Eyre'

He rose, and with a stride reached me.

"My bride is here," he said, again drawing me to him, "because my equal is here, and my likeness. Jane, will you marry me?"

Still I did not answer, and still I writhed from his grasp: for I was still incredulous.

"Do you doubt me, Jane?"

"Entirely."

"You have no faith in me?"

"Not a whit."

"Am I liar in your eyes?" he asked passionately. "Little sceptic, you shall be convinced. ........ You - you strange, you almost unearthly thing! - I love as my own flesh. You - poor and obscure, and small and plain as you are - I entreat to accept me as husband."

"What, me!" I ejaculated, beginning in his earnestness - and especially in his incivility - to credit his sincerity: "me who have not a friend in the world but you - if you are my friend: not a shilling but what you have given me?"

"You, Jane, I must have you for my own - entirely my own. Will you be mine? Say yes, quickly."

"Mr Rochester, let me look at your face: turn to the moonlight."

"Why?"

"Because I want to read your countenance - turn!"

"There! you will find it scarcely more legible than a crumpled, scratched page. Read on: only make haste, for I suffer."

His face was very much agitated and very much flushed, and there were strong workings in the features, and strange gleams in the eyes.

"Oh, Jane, you torture me!" he exclaimed. "With that searching and yet faithful and generous look , you torture me!"

"How can I do that? If you are true, and your offer real, my only feelings to you must be gratitude and devotion - they cannot torture."

"Gratitude!" he ejaculated; and wildly - "Jane, accept me quickly. Say Edward - give me my name - Edward - I will marry you."

"Are you in earnest? Do you truly love me? Do you sincerely wish me to be your wife?"

"I do; and if an oath is necessary to satisfy you, I swear it."

"Then, sir, I will marry you."

"Edward - my little wife!"

"Dear Edward!"

"Come to me - come to me entirely now," said he; and added, in his deepest tone, speaking in my ear as his cheek was laid on mine, "Make my happiness - I will make yours."

"God pardon me!" he subjoined ere long; "and man meddle not with me: I have her, and will hold her."

I have read and reread, and reread this passage. The realisation of love reciprocated as Mr Rochester draws Jane out to reveal her love for him, how it makes my heart flutter , pulse quicken, my cheeks flush and oh yes, smile that small smile that will play itself out on your face. The same secretive smile which bids others in the presence of you and your Book to wonder what it is that you've discovered between it's covers.

I've flipped through the pages ahead and I know that tragedy and trial awaits , Mr Rochester and Jane, but also Joy. It so difficult to put 'Jane Eyre' down and go about my day and do what I should.

Rarely before have I been inclined to read romance, even from classic sources, but This! This is so beautiful and I'm so, so very much in love with,

'Jane Eyre'.

Boys to Men.....

His Parents Son

Grandson Beloved by Nana

My Beautiful Soulmate

Husband

and Father

His Ways Leave an Imprint Forever on Our Childrens' Hearts

His Ways Can Become Theirs

Wise

Knowledgeable

Strong

Soother of Sorrows

Partner in Humor and Mischief

Boundless Patience



Its No Small Task Being a Father to Boys

He Guides Them Gently to Become Men

I Have Sure Knowledge in His Leadership

And His Love

All kinds of Fun...

A Big Day of Home Learning was planned. My plan of attack was well thought out and all I had to do was wait for the right time. But my big plans often become the victim of the day. So instead of achieving all the book kind of learning, we had visits from our Cool Cousins and had a day Full of Imaginative Play - extremely valuable.

King Kangaroo

Mermaid Princess Calamity

Spidey Danger Mouse and Butterfly Princess Cupcake

all played so beautifully, Until.... Disaster Struck!!!! As with all Kiddilies, there will be some misunderstandings. Princess Calamity and Kookaburra had the most gigantic Palm Leaves and were ushering in the Arrival of King Kangaroo when they must have whacked (accidentally, I'm declaring for the defendant :) the said tiny King. In a moment of Red Mist Haze, our little King lost his Marbles and struck at his heralds as if combatants for the crown and unfortunately Kookaburra came off a little worse for it.

Kookaburra groaned for quite some time after the said incident. But then, all was quite for a while until he emerged wearing the above self-applied first aid! Needless to say, I was a good combination of sympathy and laughter to this sorry sight.

During all this time, what was Brother Bear doing with himself? Well, he did have to install some glass at a local business but when that was done, here he sat, at our kitchen table, 'Gettin' him some learnin'.

Okay, so it can be said not a lot was achieved for my boys today except a whole lot of fun, laughter and tears, but I did Ed-U-Ma-Cate Brother Bear on a little Geography.


Confession
* All did not go well after King Kangaroo administered his blow to Kookaburra. A suitable Judgement and Talking to was handed down by this here, Queen of the Natives and there were many tears and protestations of innocence to be heard from Kangaroo's bedroom. Once the bedlam had subsided and admission of guilt extracted, the tiny terror was released. You'd think he'd be happy, but instead Kangaroo was in a fury about the hundred different inflicted tortures by everybody, he dredged up a multitude of mortal hurts which all fell onto my uncompassionate ears. Finally, he burnt that energy up and started to calm down by thwacking a large stick on a rock. I was absent from the scene but Kookaburra passed on the tale. Kookaburra warned Kangaroo not to do the aforementioned activity for fear the stick may break from the force applied and bounce back and hit the strike-ee in the head, this was met by growls and grumpiness from Kangaroo, who in the next moment really did have exactly that happen!!!! Chances of it! Poor Kangaroo, he was most upset :( But why the Confession? Because as Kookaburra was telling me this sorry story I couldn't stop killing myself laughing! Oops, Guilty as Charged. Bad Mumma ;)

Pride Point
* I made it through the day intact and so did the kiddo's :D
* We crafted, and I baked and even got some sheets changed and washed :)

So what do you think? Am I a bad Mumma for laughing at poor Kangaroo's plight or am I mercilyless not alone and would have been joined by other Bad Mummy's in my fit of Hysterics ;)

A Long Awaited Treat...

has finally arrived. Naturally, we waited till the eleventh hour to part with our voucher for the kiddies to go horse riding. Only yesterday, Brother Bear and I called with baited breath the Horse Riding School regarding a suitable time and fortunately here we are on Sunday, the ride completed and loved!!!!!

Kookaburra was dubious but excited, apprehensive and a dash of nervous.

Princess Calamity on the other hand was Kookaburra's polar opposite. Brimming with excitement, her little face glowed with the coming of the horses.

Two hours of moseying along in the saddle, trotting through Australia's beautiful bush listening to her soundtrack of Galah's and Cockatoo's, pretty Nice way to spend a Sunday morning :D

I'm going to mark this one up for the future, as an excellent confidence building exercise and next time Kangaroo will be coming too.

*btw - every now and again or perhaps more often than not, I'm going to post a Confession and a Pride Point at the end of a Post. Why? Confessions are to keep me real and human and usually humorous, the Pride Point helps me feel like I accomplished something whether it be trivial or grand. So here goes:

Confession:
* I loved horse riding today. Kookaburra had someone else to ask his gazillion questions of and therefor gave my poor little cabbage ears a chance to rest.
* I refuse to enter our playroom/ storage room because it's a freaking tragedy and if I close the door I can be oblivious to it's existence :)
* And I let my kiddo's run around the backyard freezing wet because I ran their bath too hot.
* One more, I can't wait for Kangaroo to hit the sack because if he bellows"MMUUUUMMM!!" once more, we may end up one less child here at Irini :P

Pride Point:
* Floors cleaned and washed.
* Herme's bird cage completely scrubbed and sanitised all ready for him to flutter and poop his little heart out in. Just got to put everything back where it belongs and I'm ready to start the new week.
* Had a great time with my son's today.

Hmm... well, that looks kinda balanced :D

Adventuring we will go.....

Have you noticed a change? I've formulated this lovely post in my head explaining the change and the why. A beautiful, D & M... which will have to wait. Instead I'm going to write a Day In My Life - I've only ever done one before and whilst these aren't typical days I like to write them so I can immortalize the ridiculousness of being me. Sometimes crazy, occasionally downright scary and nearly always stupendously funny.

My Mumma Bear turned sixty this year way back in January and in her style she was very understated and I promised myself I would do something special for her or with her. I would do something!!!! No idea what :P As the months rolled by I conceived a plan to day trip it to a special bunch of tiny towns about two hours from here. Imagine a suburban hippy haven where the produce is always organic, Woolworths Supermarket is shunned, delicious cafes and multitudes of little sancturys, harboring expensive goodies beckon me and the Mastercard (the one card to rule them all ;) to sidle on in (I have to sidle, even though he isn't here I know Mr E will KNOW - he just does, a sixth sense!) and give that Credit Card a battering. Oh what a pleasurable plan!!! I'll show my Mumma these three such towns all located consecutively within about ten or so minutes from each other. I imagined sharing with Mumma, the luscious undulating pasture land where the cows have million dollar views. Scenery that grows all the more breathtaking as we putter (annoyingly, I'm sure, to the local motorists- 'Damn tourists' , I swear I can hear them cursing :O) languorously higher up into the mountains. Rainforest and lakes will be unveiled in their natural splendour that makes me gloriously pleased to live here in Oz. And Mumma Bear will have a beautiful, special, Perfect 60th Birthday outing from us :)

So how did it really go?

2am Why on earth am I still awake?! I need to drive so much in the morning. The night is not peaceful. All the little noises have natural sources but scenes from the worst horror movies I've seen creep their way into my head. I swear, once again, that I deserve to be haunted by ghastly images if I will subject myself to such crap. Dazed from the lack of sleep I wonder how well I'd go protecting my vulnerable little boys in the next room from the nasties of my imagination. Sliding out of bed, I'm hoping that the Thing Under the Bed doesn't grab my feet, and I walk cautiously around the house to be sure all is well.

6am Rise and Shine, Here Comes the Day. Throw all our stuff together and relent so much on the no lego in the car rule that I grab a whole bucketful to place between Kookaburra and Kangaroo, because I'd rather search for missing pieces and deal with tears over the lost items then let them watch more Movies on their little TV's in the backseats. We skip breakfast, grab Mumma from Brother Bears house and dive into drive through at the golden arches, to the complete pleasure of the vertically challenged crew in the back of the car. Opening up the brown, paper bag after paying and yep wouldn't you know it, the boys is there, but mine? Nope. No brekky. But hey, there's coffee. And after foregoing caffeine for the past week it's nice to indulge and I feel that I'm in need after last nights lack of Zzzzz's.

9am Thinking I'm making awesome time to a little pit-stop on the way to the triple pleasure towns, I get to the point of destination. I realize then, that I shouldn't have switched off the yabbering GPS because when it was telling me I was going the wrong way (boys thought this was hysterical, they love hearing Tom Tom tell me I'm doing something wrong) I really was going the wrong way. Okay, so that town that starts with K is different to this other one that also begins with K. I think my confusion is understandable because they both have three syllables to each of their names, too! C'mon! Be kind :D Yep. I'm so steaming mad at myself right then that I stew over the lost hour or so whilst I kindly turn old Tom Tom back on and proceed to trust the GPS.

9.30am Come back out at the highway a little closer to where we should be going.


10.30am Arrive at the correct K place with the same amount of syllables as the last K place we 'visited'. Kookaburra needs a break from the car. Poor guy gets car sick or is it that he remembers the amazing playground here? I would drive the hour or so just for the fun of this playground. It features a lot of very different play equipment and the town has such a sweet ambiance. Mumma's in good spirits and she toddles off to the Cheese Place while my Kiddilies have a beaut time at the park. Kookaburra hurtles on the flying fox at break neck speeds and I wonder if we'll be visiting the hospital today also.

As we leave K, I instruct Tom Tom to our destination but then find that we need to turn him off again. My boys are laughing hysterically in the back seat because Tom Tom really does want me to go the wrong way. This time there are signs and I have the correct name of our destinations. I choose to follow the signs.


11.30amish Phew, made it.

11.35amish Oooooh! A sign for a Lake, lets go there. Do we know how far? How long? Is it worth it? No. I'm driving. It's my steering wheel, so we're about to find out.

After about twenty minutes of winding and twisting, turning driving, I begin to doubt my decision. But never to let anyone see that I may be contemplating that I made an unwise choice, I figure we'll plug on and hope that our destination eventuates soon.


12pm Woohoo! We round a last bend and the Lake far exceeds our puny expectations. She is breath taking and magnificent and Beautiful. As we extract the last small person from the car I'm still stunned at the glory surrounding us and I had no idea it was here. I rapidly snap pictures in the hopes that at least two will be awesome. Wild Kookaburra's are swooping to be hand fed!!!! My Kookaburra holds out some sausage on his flat palm to tempt them and snap! the sausage is gone. Later this evening, Brother Bear regales me with his close encounters with such birds and describes their fearsome beaks - they are Kingfishers after all!! *FacePalm* myself!!! Stupid Woman, didn't even consider my Kookaburra could be in any sort of danger!

12.30pmish We drive repeatedly around the same full car park at the first Tiny Town. I finally give up and then drive past two eligible car parks which I neglect for something easier. Easier? Where? Eventually, we find somewhere easier to park. Easier involves not holding up traffic with reversing and No Kookaburra, this it isn't a timed park. He's always asking this after I received a fine for said offence locally. He's persistent and asks nearly every time we park!

Our happy crew admiringly wanders through the first Tiny Town, stopping frequently at various lovely shops and only sometimes leaving tearfully because of a No! More often, departure is joyful because of a tiny something. Kookaburra and Kangaroo's happiest buys are large lollipops, a splendidly handmade cake of soap each ($6!!!!!! each!!!!!!) and a necklace. A side-trip to the op shops of course, unearths a new treasure (*junk*) which results in more tears due to Kangaroo wanting to hug the 'new' truck, which is half his size, as we continue our wander around the town.

2pm We arrive at our second Tiny Town after only two mad careerings off the road to take photo's from amazing lookouts. The dashings off the road in our fine Motor Vehicle was perfectly safe, Mr E. No cars around and perfectly maneuvered but as the time is ticking on I 'm feeling desperate to pack more in with Mumma Bear, hence the dashing. As we drive into this tiny town, I wonder why on earth we bothered with the first. This is even more appealing and delightful. We happen upon a glassblowing artisans shop and become so absorbed in talking to the lady, watching a video on how the clever artist creates her mindbogglingly intricate works of art and having coronaries in keeping Kangaroo away from all the glass - he's named Kangaroo for good reason - that more time ticks on, pleasurably.

3pm Time to secure lunch. Fruit and scoffing a box of chippy biscuits, does not lunch make. Time to remedy that. Whilst strolling the entire beautiful strip, clicking happily away at the gazillion photo opportunities, I stupidly mention the existence of a rainforest nearby we could see, if we quickly consume our lunch and keep going. Kangaroo latches onto the image of a 'Rainforest' and does not let go. A little more shopping ensues, as well as toilet stops and during all this the clock is ticking onto......

4pm The cafe's and reasonably budget friendly restaurants are shutting up for the day!!! Eeek! We need sustenance! We secure a lovely little venue, reasonably priced and peruse the menu. Executive decisions are made regarding the meals and as I go to pay, wha'do you know?! Cash only, of course. Who me? Cash? I'm notorious for not having cash because it always finds itself spent on a justifiable cause. I have plenty of spending money on my debit card but as I eye the street for an ATM my careful Mumma Bear comes to the rescue with her cashed up purse to embarrass my poor penniless one ('I'll pay you back Mumma!').

4.15pm Food! Glorious Food!!! Everybody tucks in but Umm... I didn't pay for a hair in my burger! Time is of the essence. I'm feeling faint and a little crabby (so out of tune with the peaceful Mumma I want to be) and I weigh up my options. Complain and have a new burger cooked (like my hair has never accidentally fallen into my own cooking ;) or, by deftly removing said offending follicle we keep our momentum? I take one for the team, because increasingly Kangaroo is Very focused on the Rainforest and I think I'd like for them to see it. Naughtily, I encourage my family to inhale their meals at a moderately leisurely pace.

5pm Fortunately indigestion has been avoided and we arrive at the Rainforest. Hurriedly, but cautiously I herd my keen crew down the steep winding path to the beginning of the rainforest walk. Three tracks are identified but only one indicates a length and that, of course, is immediately eliminated being that it is nearly 5km's. We choose the Falls path. We're all keen to see waterfalls. Snap, snap - lots of pictures. Light is paramount and I remind everyone that we need to keep an eye on the time, which is difficult for me to do as I have lost my watch :( and no-one else has a watch. No matter. There are plenty of walkers and we need only be sensible. Quite a ways in we hear rushing water but yet we are no closer to these Falls. A fellow walker passes the other way telling ours boys to be sure to count the one hundred steps down. Well, we stopped counting after we got to one hundred and there were a lot more after that. We come to a rockpool, which was obligatorily beautiful but it is time to get our butts burning back up that mountain and get back before dark. Here is where it starts to become frightening. I imagine multitudes of scenarios as we laboriously trail our way back in the fading light to the car park. I piggy back Kangaroo all the way and more, back. Kookaburra is valiant, a brave, little knight who, as light is swiftly fading in the Rainforest, is reminding us to keep our eyes to the distant, light sky. And my Mumma Bear? With her poor knees and sixty year old body which has been tied up with working enormous hours and not having time for that all important fitness regime. How is she faring? Breathing heavily and pushing on as hard as she can. A real legend. How hard is it to be the adult in charge and realize you've messed up?! I have put them all at risk for not wrapping up the walk sooner. Eyes on the goal girl and we'll be okay. Take care of them and stay chipper. Instruct and don't let on even remotely how frightened I'm truly feel ing for us. Man, I'm even imagining my apology to the nation as I'm being interviewed about losing myself and my family in the Rainforest and therefor requiring rescue. This vision is accompanied by another, of Explaining my stupidity to Mr E and Brother Bear about how I allowed this predicament to occur. Marching on in the almost complete dark, I swear to myself I can cry on Mr E's shoulder when we get home and I'll be soothed properly then. When we are safe.

6pm After what felt to be an eternity we emerge from the now darkened rainforest. There is very little light as we alternately rest and toil the remainder of our way back up the steep path that leads to the carpark. Finally, our grateful family safely tumbles into the car. We then forgo the third little town for another occasion and begin to make keen tracks for home. Kangaroo sleeps, exhausted. Kookaburra contemplates at extreme length, his invention for transporting ourselves and Mags the car instantaneously home, because, he just wants to be home. His sentiment is shared with the very relieved driver... me.

8.30pm We deliver Mumma Bear safely back home to Brother Bear. Confidingly, I begin to tell him of our endangering adventure. Brother Bear points out my further gross neglect in taking ourselves into that situation without burly men by our side. How vulnerable you were! He tells me and immediately I all too clearly see, what he means. Grandma, Mum and two little boys wandering around at dusk in the bush. If we had been unfortunate enough to be the victims of mugging or worse, tonight my boys may not be tucked up safely in their beds, Mumma Bear may not be home safely with Brother Bear and myself, here in Little House, may not be safely reflecting in the wee hours of the morning on what might have been. So as I say goodnight to my little place of Peace, Iri'ni, I'm going to certainly say a prayer of thanks for our safe return home tonight and vow to be a lot smarter in the future.

Despite Poor Mumma Bear falling 'victim' to the ridiculousness of me being me - the sometimes crazy, occasionally downright scary and not always but sometimes stupendously funny life that is mine - she loved her special Big Day Out and says enthusiastically she is extremely keen to do it again. Mumma Bear has only one condition though, she wants to be a lot fitter on our next adventure. For me, I'll be happy to have my watch and half a brain :)

oh.... *whispers* 'and the Mastercard ;)'

Wordless Wednesday